Richard Williams

Richard Williams

PhD, Dr

Personal profile

Overview

Richard Williams is a senior software engineer and research fellow in the Centre for Health Informatics. He has led the development and implementation of several award winning web applications for reducing patient harm, and has recently completed a PhD titled "Applying software engineering principles to electronic health records in order to improve research and generate patient-specific actionable information". His current role is to lead a team of software engineers to deliver the applications listed below. Richard is currently funded by the Manchester BRC and GM ARC.

Current and past projects

  • GMCR - the Greater Manchester Care Record is a database allowing researchers to access linked data from primary and secondary care, as well as social care and mental health.

  • SMASH - analyses patient records to find patients at risk of hazardous prescribing. After successful trials in Greater Manchester this was adopted by GraphNet Health.

  • FLAG-ME - software that helps pharmacy staff to identify people with vision impairments, so they can offer tailored 1:1 support and access to resources that improve patient safety.
  • PINGR - analyses patient records to find patients with opportunities to improve their care. Currently being trialled in Salford ahead of a wider roll out.

  • eADAPT - helping lymphoma survivors to manage their long-term care. Clinicians are provided with timely, actionable information via PINGR, while patients will have an app to educate them about their care and remind them to take key steps.

  • STELAR - a project that pulled together data from 5 birth cohorts around the UK to investigate the development of asthma and allergies.

  • COCPIT - software for performing detailed care pathway analysis for researchers and health professionals.

Research interests

The majority of Richard's research centres on the electronic health records of patients in primary care. This involves investigating which tools and techniques are required to ensure that research performed on healthcare data, which was not collected primarily for that purpose, is robust and reproducible. Of particular interest is how researchers create their sets of clinical codes for interrogating the EHR. To this end, Richard has developed the web application GetSet to help researchers create, validate, enhance and share their code sets.

Richard's other interest is how the information captured in an EHR can be effectively fed back to clinicians in a way that leads to positive changes for patient benefit. The web applications SMASH and PINGR are designed and developed in an iterative fashion to help research what behaviours, both technological and social, affect the uptake of such systems.

Qualifications

PhD, University of Manchester

PGDip Business and Management Studies, University of Durham

BA (Hons) Mathematics, University of Cambridge

Expertise related to UN Sustainable Development Goals

In 2015, UN member states agreed to 17 global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to end poverty, protect the planet and ensure prosperity for all. This person’s work contributes towards the following SDG(s):

  • SDG 3 - Good Health and Well-being
  • SDG 10 - Reduced Inequalities
  • SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
  • SDG 13 - Climate Action
  • SDG 15 - Life on Land

Research Beacons, Institutes and Platforms

  • Christabel Pankhurst Institute

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics where Richard Williams is active. These topic labels come from the works of this person. Together they form a unique fingerprint.
  • 1 Similar Profiles

Collaborations and top research areas from the last five years

Recent external collaboration on country/territory level. Dive into details by clicking on the dots or
  • John Perry Prize

    Williams, R. (Recipient), 12 Oct 2017

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)

  • MIE Science Slam

    Williams, R. (Recipient), 24 Apr 2018

    Prize: Prize (including medals and awards)